Commissioner West Issues Apology

A day after ACO and the American Muslim Advisory Council alerted the community about the hateful post by a local Tennessee public official, Coffee County Commissioner Barry West releases official apology.

Mr. West spoke with our Director of Policy & Administration earlier in the day and expressed his “heartfelt, sincere apology.” Commissioner West went on to state that his “intent was never to offend or harm anyone” and the post was a “mistake.” Commissioner West has agreed to meet with Muslim constituents to further discuss the incident. Click here to listen to the public apology.

Though we accept Mr. West’s apology, such rhetoric has no place in Tennessee and should never be repeated. Diversity is a value that all Americans cherish and such speech whether intentional or not is a direct attack on that.

Thank you to everyone who took action. We will continue to ensure that Tennessee remains a welcoming state for all. Please continue to help support our work by joining our mailing list and donate today.